Wood finishing



Jan. l18, 1944.

W. W. PARTEE wQoD FINISHING Original Filed OCC. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q A .um n@ IEE`II| Jan. 18, 1944. w. w. ARTEEA l WOOD FINISHING Original Filed 001;. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MQW,

KN i@ Patented Jan. 18,

WOOD FINISHING Watkins Webber Partee, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to E. L. Bruce Company, Memphis, Tenn., a A corporation of Delaware Original application October 5, 1938, Serial No. 233,506. Divided and this application May 2, 1940, Serial No. 333,027

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the Amanufacture of factory finished wood floor blocks or strips of the type such as shown in the patent to Robert G. Bruce, No. 1,808,592, granted June 2, 1931.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a wood-floor block or the like that has a finish that deeply penetrates the wood, as differentiated from Wood finishes that merely lie on the surface of the wood, and that is tough and elastic, not readily scratched, of goodlustre,

, and more durable than prior finishes.

Another object of the invention is to have the finishing operation as mechanical' as possible, reducing the necessity of hand labor in producing the finished blocks.

AA further object is to provide such a sequence of operations so that the finish on th block will be attractive in appearance and durable in use.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings for a more complete disclosure of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine for applying the oor finishing composition,

Figure 2I is a plan view of the machine for applying the customary floor filler to the blocks.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine for polishing or waxing the surface of the blocks after the floor finishing composition and ller have been applied hereto and rubbed in.

Figure 4 is a transverse elevation showing the arrangement of the block as it travels on the tracks. v

Referring particularly to Figure 1, the entire length of the nish application line is about two hundred feet. The blocks l, made up of a plurality of slats' as shown in Patent #1,808,623, are piled up in the hopper 2, which has reciprocating rocker arms 3 for pushing the bottom block in the hopper on to the link belt l, provided with spaced studs 5. The blocks are placed into the hopper by the operator, so that the component strips 6 will be parallel to the line of travel of the blocks through the machine. The blocks travel 'at the rate of about twenty feet per minute, which means that when finishing 9-inch.

the link belt that keeps the entire line of blocks traveling from one end of the line to the other. A friction clutch is provided, so that if the line y jams, the link belt stops.

the properties of rapidly penetrating the Wood when it is applied.

Compositions of this type contain such skin `forming oils as linseed and China-wood and a resin in a volatile solvent such as naphtha.

After the floor finish composition has been n applied, the blocks pass under a spreader 23, that is provided with canton fiannel which distributes the floor finish evenly over the face of the block. The blocks now move forward to a reciprocating wiper 24, the distance between the -spreader 23, and the wiper 24 being approximately one hundred and sixty-five feet of free travel, which permits about eight minutes time for the'floor finishA to penetrate or soak deeply into the wood. The wiperv is absorbent and soft, and removes and absorbs the excess nish from the Wet spots and transfers them to the dry spots. The wiper 24 is provided with a flannel surface, and moves transversely of the line of block travel and removes the circular marking left'by the spreader 23.

` From the end of the track, the blocks are stacked,

. ller application line the finish has not dried.

It has merely had an initialsetting. This fact is important, because by applying the filler before the finish has dried and while it has merely set initially, I secure a blending and combination of finish and filler in the surface and subsurface of the wood, these two elements combining homogeneously. This is of particular importance where .color is used in both the finish andthe filler. With the blending and combining of finish and filler as described both of these materials dry as a unit in the later operations as hereinafter described.

Referring now to the ller application line, as

shown in Figure 2, the beginning of the line. will face of the blocks.

9 so that the operator can apply the filler com- I position by a compressed air spray outfit to the This is the usual silex wood filler thinned out with naphtha. By spraying the ller on the face of the block, a uniform coat of filler is produced. Since a ,small amount of an oil soluble dye is added to both thenish composition and the filler when it is desired to color the blocks applying the filler by any contact method results in streaking. Spraying does not disturb the already applied inish, as would be the case if the illler was rubbed on.

The surface of the blocks having/been sprayed with the ller composition, will advance to the revolving brushes IIl forcing the filler thoroughly into the pores and other small openings in the face of the wood blocks. In the normal operation of the ller line, it will take about 21/2 minutes after the block leaves the hood 8, until it arrives up to the revolving brushes I0, and this will be sufficient time to permit partial evaporation 0f the volatile vehicle in the filler, producing a dulling of the surface.

'I'he four revolving brushes Ill rotate on a vertical axis and are driven by the vertically mounted motors I2 through belts I3. The face of the brushes is provided with bristles, which force the /ller thoroughly into the pores and other small openings in the, face of the blocks. 'I'he brushes may be provided with an arm I4, and a weight- I5 onthe end thereof for giving lthe necessary pressure downward of the brush, while it is operating on the surface of the Wood. The brushes can be swung up on the pivots I 2a to change the brushes as required.

'I'he blocks now proceed to the next series of bristle brushes I 6, which are driven by similar e motors I2 and belts I3, and will be spaced, as

indicated in the drawings.

These brushes serve to remove any surplus filler that may be adhering to the blocks. The distance of travel of the blocks between revolving brushes I0 and brushes I6 provide a few minutes lapse of time to permit some further drying of the filler. The excess ller is more readily l removed in such dryer form.

The line of blocks now proceeds to a cylindrical machine I'I, set at an angle of about 30 degrees with the track, and provided with bristle brushes to remove the circular markings left by the preceding 4operation and also to remove any excess filler from the upper edges of the block. This machine I I rotates on a horizontal axis and is driven by a motor I8. The machine I'l revolves against the line of travel of the blocks.

As the blocks pass from the end of the filler line, they slide onto a table and they are transferred from there to portable drying racks for twelve hours drying in front of a blower fan which nally dries and sets the finish and the filler.

Referring now to operation #3, as disclosed in Figure 3, the nishing composition and filler.

having suiliciently dried in and on the blocks, they are now to be subjected to a waxing and polishing operation. lThe blocks vare started in on the line by the use of a hopper feed mechanism and a studded unk beit identical to those lengthwise of the line of operation. Steel woolY operates somewhat as very ne sandpaper, the previous operation of this type being similar to coarse or medium work, this flnal operation being fine in character. Just after leaving the reciprocating buffers 26, a polishing composition is applied by the operator with soft cheese cloth, applying the composition so that an even coat is applied to the face of the block. After the polishing composition has been applied to the block by hand', the blocks move forward to the spreader 21, taking a period of time of about three minutes for this movement. The blocks then pass under the buier 21, rotating on a vertical axis and driven by the vertically mounted motor 28, through the belt 29. The face of this buffer is provided with fiber bristle and this operation serves to distribute the polishing composition evenly over the surface of the block, and burnish and polish the surface. All the buffers in this line operate at quite a high rate of speed and frictional contact produces heat which is necessary in drying and polishing. Between this operation and the next operation, a period of about five minutes occurs during which time the solvents in the polish dry outto an extent and provide a more solid base for the next polishing operation. 'I'he blocks then pass under the buffers 32, rotating on a vertical axis as heretofore described, the first two of this series of buffers being provided with ber bristle and the third one, 33, being provided with a carpet pad' for polishing the surface. These three brushes are all provided with weighted arms as in the other buffers and this battery of three buffers serve to give a high lustre to the block surface. After leaving this series of buil'ers, the blocks then pass under the carpet pad buffer 34, rotating on a horizontal axis and driven by the motor 35 and revolving against the line of travel of the blocks. This buffer removes circular markings left by the buffers 32 and 33.

The blocks then pass oil of the end of the track, which is the end of the process, and are packed into cartons for storage or shipment as they leave the track.

Since the wood blocks, as disclosed in the aforesaid Robert G. Bruce patent, are provided with tongues' on two adjacent sides and grooves von two adjacent sides, there is a tongue 36 on one side and a groove 31 on the other. Accordingly the track 38 will be provided with a groove 4I cooperating with the tongue 36 on the block. The tracks 38 whichl are of the same construc tion and arrangement in all three of the operating lines will be supported on the frame work 42.

In feeding the blocks through any of the units yof the machine, there is an advantage in feed- -ing them lengthwise of the slats, as there is n0 surfaces do not'match evenly, producing projecting edges, in which surplus filler or nnish will catch and is not readily removed by the wipers or brushes.

It will be noted that the feeding instrumentalities are applied to the lower sidel of the block supported by tracks on their edges, :but they are not applied to the face of the block which would cause the mshed face to become damaged.

It is important that the finish be applied before the filler. Both may have coloring matter therein, such as an oil soluble aniline dye and it is desirable to get the color in as deep as possible. If the filler isapplied first,` a proper penetration of the finish is not secured. When using color. the same shade of color is in the filler as is in the finish.

The machine for operating on the wood block is comparable to a'. continuous` strip of floor, movable relative to the stationary instrumentalities operating on the oor as distinguished from moving instrumentalities operating on a station- 4in Fig. 1, is a three drum oscillating type which gives tothe face of the block, a sanding, rst

with coarse sand paper, then medium and nally. i

fine sandpaper. No time is lost after sanding, in putting the blocks through the floor finish application line, because if there was delay even y for a short period of time, the grain of the Wood might raise, producing an uneven surface. The immediate application of the finish prevents grain raising. By the illustratedshowing of the sandingmachine 55 in Fig. 1, it will be understood'that this machine is to be positioned in the line, and preferably ahead of and in such close Aproximity to the hopper 2 as will permit the sanded blocks to be easily and without loss of time transferred to the hopper.

In order that the finished surface shall be uni'- form it is important that the finishing opera.- tions be carried out under uniform conditions of air temperature, humidity and circulation. Thel inability to control these conditions when nnishingfioors in the field is responsible for most of the variation in the results obtained.

The temperatures of the air aftectsthe solid and solvent content of all the materials used in the'nnishing operations. It affects the penetration of the oor nish, its viscosity, time of setting, drying and Vthe like. Accordinsly the temperature of the work room is maintained preferably at 'Z0-75 degrees F. and the materials employed are adjusted to thattemperature in order to secure the best results. By varying the amount and character of solvents and amount and character of solids, other room temperatures might be employed.

Since the amount of moisture in the air eftions from the standpoint or! health.

with the constant evaporation of solvents in the work room, it is necessary to provide for the withdrawal of the solvent laden air and the replacement with-fresh air, otherwise, the temperature and humidity control would not be completely effective.

vThis application is a division of my application led Oct. 5, 1938, Serial No. 233,506, now Patent No. 2,276,253 of March 10, 1942.

I claim:

1. In a method of factoryv finishing wood flooring in which method floor umts are in motion along a production line while being subjected to the successive finishing operations the steps comprising, sanding the said umts to effect smoothing of the surface to be finished, then applying immediately and uniformly totheir freshly smoothed surfaces a fimsh coating composition of the penetrating type which contains a drying oil base, a. resin, and a volatile solvent, thereafter but before the said composition has dried applying to the finish coated surface a filler material comprising solid particles suspended in a volatile vehicle, and, with the umts in continuing motion,

brushing their coated surfaces to fill the pores, to uniformly distribute the compositions and to remove any surplus of the compositions.

2. The method of claim 1 with the subsequent steps of uniformly applying a polishing composition to the coated units, and bufiing the same,

after drying, to complete the finishing operation.

3. A method for successively nishing wood flooring umts while the said umts are in motion along a production line to secure a substantially uniformly finished surface on all of the umts the steps comprising sanding 'the said umts to effect smoothing of the surface to be finished, then applying immediately to the freshly smoothed surface of the umts, in succession, uniform amounts of a penetrating type of finish coating composition containing a drying oil base, a resin, and a volatile solvent, thereafter wiping the coated surface to remove and absorb excess flmsh composition, then, at another station farther along the said production line and after a predetermined time interval that is sufhcient to allow for partial drying and penetration of the finish coating but before said coating has dried, applying to the finish coated umts a filler vcomposition containing solid particles suspended in a volatile vehicle inl order to effect blending of the flmsh coating composition and the filler in the wood as well as on the surface thereof,- and thereafter brushing the blended compositions on the surface of the umts to effect an even distribution thereof and to remove surplus portions of the said compositions from the surface of the umts.

4. The method of claim 1 in which both the ilmsh and nller compositions contain a soluble dye.

5.' Themethod of claim 3 in which a preliminary drying time of the order cof eight minutes intervenes between the application of the finish coating composition and the next following step of wipins the coated umts in order to remove and absorb any excess of the said composition before the application of the nller composition.

6.Themethod of claim 3 inwhichadryingtime of the order of two to three minutes intervenes between the application of the nller comrtsition and the next step of brushing' the coated w. raam. 

